Bayit Yehudi: Likud Wants Livni-Abbas Coalition

There is anger and a feeling of vindication Friday in the Bayit Yehudi party, following reports in at least two major news sources that Likud / Yisrael Beytenu has promised Yesh Atid to tear down Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria if it joins a coalition without Bayit Yehudi.

The religious Zionist party will demand clarifications on the matter in the negotiation session with Likud scheduled for Friday morning.

MK Orit Strook said Friday, "It is very sad that Likud continues to make every effort to establish the Livni-Abu Mazen government instead of establishing the social government for the people of Israel, in line with the way the public voted.".

MK Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Dahan (Bayit Yehudi) reacted to the reports Friday and said, "It turns out that instead of advancing the signing of a coalition agreement, Likud prefers to advance a leftist-hareidi government with an emphasis on future eviction of communities, and is turning down Bayit Yehudi's requests to change the agreement with Livni."

Rabbi Ben Dahan was referring to the agreements between Likud and its pick for Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, regarding her authority in matters relating to future peace negotiations and other politically sensitive issues.

"The understandings vis-à-vis Yesh Atid prevent the establishment of such a government," the rabbi added.

"We are interested in being in the coalition, and therefore, at this morning's meeting [with Likud negotiators] at Kfar Hamaccabiah, we will demand to know what the government's basic platform is: going down Livni's path or confronting the social issues that disturb the Israeli people."